I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to security systems, and more particularly, to a security or anti-tamper device for detecting the displacement of a vehicle cover situated to protect the vehicle and its contents.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
In today's affluent society, it is not uncommon for even a person or family of ordinary means to have several cars and also possibly a boat or motorcycle. These vehicles are typically used for transporting people and cargo or for recreational purposes. The cost of these items is often substantial.
Owners of these vehicles usually carry or stow a number of personal property items in them which may be relatively expensive items, such as stereos, cellular telephones, fish detectors or fishing gear, or that may be items of personal value or interest, such as a pendant from a relative or hand-picked fishing lures. Unfortunately, not everyone shares the high moral standards or motivation which require one to purchase or otherwise legally obtain such vehicles and personal items. Instead, some people choose to surreptitiously acquire such items from others. Rightful owners, of course, desire to protect their property from incidents of malfeasance involving others helping themselves to their belongings while they are absent; and, to this end, protective covers have been developed for covering open vehicles and protecting them from the elements, such as the sun, rain, sleet and snow, and keeping intruders at bay.
Protective covers are traditionally made from canvas and may cover the entire vehicle, as in the case of an automobile or motorcycle cover, or only the exposed open area of a vehicle, as in the case of a boat.
Canvas covers are typically held in place with an elastic shock cord or drawstring situated about the periphery of the cover or by snaps positioned on the vehicle. Merely covering the vehicle, however, does little to prevent one so inclined from removing the canvas cover and taking the cover or the vehicle or its contents. To discourage such acts a more sophisticated security system is needed.
To be effective, a security system should somehow scare the would-be thief away from the vehicle and/or alert others in the area to the event of an attempted break-in. Devices for detecting the movement or removal of a cover from a vehicle have been developed and are described in the art. Typically, these systems employ switches attached to the vehicle and triggered by removal of the cover. These switches often activate audio and/or visual alarms for alerting people in the area to an attempted theft and scaring the would-be wrong doer away from the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,084, issued to Topputo, describes an alarm system having push-button switches protruding through snaps in the body of the vehicle. A protective cover snaps onto the vehicle and urges the switches into an inwardly biased position. Removing a snap while the alarm system is operational triggers a proximate switch and activates an audible alarm. With this system, the switches usually must be mounted through the side of the vehicle. However, many vehicle owners object to having disfiguring holes drilled in the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,615, issued to Wilber, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,025, issued to Ross, Sr. describe systems for detecting the movement of a vehicle cover using spring-biased switches mounted to the vehicle. In Wilber, a switch is held in one position by a clamp attached to a cord. The cord is, in turn, attached to the protective cover situated in place over the vehicle. Removal of the cover causes the cord to pull and remove the clamp from the switch. The spring-biased switch then closes and activates an alarm. In Ross, St., a switch is held in one position by a cord threaded through a hole in the side of the vehicle. The cord has a clip removably attached to the deployed protective cover outside the vehicle. Removing the cover releases the clip and allows the spring-biased switch to activate an alarm. In each of these patents, the switches must be mounted to the vehicle. Also, if the switch is mounted on the inside of the vehicle, an undesirable hole must be drilled through the vehicle for the cord.
A system that avoids this problem is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,032, issued to Speer. Speer describes an alarm system having magnetic switches attached to the vehicle and magnets sewn into a protective cover. The cover is placed over the vehicle and the magnets are positioned on the vehicle juxtaposed proximate magnetic switches. Removing any magnet from a magnetic switch activates the alarm. A drawback of this system, however, is that the magnetic coupling holding the cover on the vehicle may not be strong enough to hold the cover in place during, for example, a windstorm. This may lead to false alarms. Another drawback is that a magnet will not attach to non-magnetic materials, such as fiberglass or aluminum, which are the materials of many boats and some cars. Also, with this system a number of switches must be mounted to the vehicle.
A vehicle cover having an anti-tamper device without the need for switches mounted to the vehicle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,077, issued to Feiger. The anti-tamper device described in Feiger uses a jiggle or mercury switch in which mercury is situated in one position when the switch is vertically oriented and in a second position when the switch is tilted. Opposed poles make electrical contact through a bubble of mercury flowing in and about the poles. In use, the mercury switch is mounted or taped to the protective cover. Removing or tampering with the cover causes the mercury to make electrical contact with the poles and activates an attached alarm. One drawback to this system is that if wind catching the cover moves it, the alarm may go off. Also, if the cover is on a boat in the water, the alarm may be set off from wave action.
It can be seen that there remains a need in the art for an anti-tamper cover apparatus that is non-invasive but substantially weather proof. There is a need for such an apparatus that is relatively uncomplicated and not difficult to deploy.
It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide a security system for protecting a vehicle and its contents from the environment and would-be intruders.
Another object of the invention is to provide a security system that is not invasive to the protected vehicle yet is substantially weather proof with respect to activation.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a protective cover having a built-in anti-tamper device.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a protective cover having an anti-tamper device which is not activated by normal vibrations in the protective cover.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art through familiarity with the summary of the invention, detailed description, claims, and drawings herein.